Worried about ticks and Lyme disease in your own backyard? Instead of dousing the yard with chemical sprays or avoiding it altogether, try this one thing: Use gravel. Ticks are fond of soft surfaces like grass and leaves, not rough surfaces like wood chips and gravel. By placing a trail of gravel between your outdoor entertaining area and where ticks may reside, you create a natural barrier that keeps them far away. It's a simple, chemical-free way of keeping those bloodsuckers away from you.

Filling up the gas tank all the way each time you visit the gas station is the most fuel-efficient way to fill up, since it means you'll make fewer trips to the gas station over time. But avoid the temptation to "top off" after the pump automatically stops. The reason is simple: Adding more gas wastes money. Gasoline tanks have something called a vapor recovery system, which prevents gas from escaping. Adding more gas means you add some gas into your tank after it's full, but you also send gas back into the tank. That's money down the drain!

It's tempting: You see a seashell on the beach and want to bring it home as a souvenir. What harm could taking one shell do? If you multiply that by the millions of people who visit our shores during the summer months, it can lead to massive destruction. When shells disappear from the beaches and oceans, it leads to increased beach erosion. When shells are on the beach, they help stabilize the sand, which lessens erosion. When the shells are gone, beaches go away, too. To help, admire the shells and leave them alone.